For Tesla And India, "Weird Stalemate" Holds Unless Budget Offers Changes
NDTV
Tesla is desperate to import and sell its electric vehicles in India and has for nearly a year lobbied officials in New Delhi to reduce tariffs, which the company's billionaire CEO Elon Musk says are among the highest in the world.
Talks between India and Tesla Inc over potential tax benefits are deadlocked as the government is not keen to give the company any breaks without a commitment to manufacture locally, people familiar with the discussions told Reuters.
Tesla is desperate to import and sell its electric vehicles in India and has for nearly a year lobbied officials in New Delhi to reduce tariffs, which the company's billionaire CEO Elon Musk says are among the highest in the world.
But Indian official sources said they have been unconvinced by Tesla's lobbying as the company has not yet shared any firm plan to invest in the country, something that would be in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" vision to boost local manufacturing and create jobs.
A third person with direct knowledge of Tesla's thinking said the discussions with the Indian government have reached a "weird stalemate situation".
